Kadomatsu (門松) is a New Year’s decoration that is usually placed in front of the gates and entrances of Japanese homes and businesses. They are meant to welcome the god of that new year (based on the Zodiac) to one’s home or business to bring health and happiness.
Nowadays, kadomatsu are usually made of pine, bamboo, and plum, with each carrying its own auspicious meaning: pine is a symbol of eternal life and longevity; bamboo signifies vitality and prosperity; and plum blossoms symbolize success and good fortune. These decorations are usually put up from December 13th to mid-January.
As with many other New Year’s traditions, these decorations, with their intricate materials and meaning, point to the man’s longing for blessings and the desire for hope in the coming year.
The Bible tells us that, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)
When kadomatsu are seen around the city during the New Year season, they serve as reminders of the ultimate need of salvation in Jesus Christ, who alone can provide eternal life and the hope of the gospel in our hearts and lives.
Prayer Prompts
- Pray for Christians in Japan, that each time they pass by a kadomatsu it would call their heart to prayer for many Japanese to know eternal life in Jesus Christ, and would remind themselves of their own eternal salvation.
- Pray for those in Japan who have yet to believe in Christ: that they would come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ; that they would drink the living water of Christ and not thirst again.